Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project

Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project

United States Army corps of Engineers has determined that the Isabella Dam facilities require structural improvements in order to safety meet authorized project purposes and to reduce risk to the public and property from dam safety issues posed by floods, earthquakes, and seepage. The Corps is proposing risk reduction measures to minimize the potential for and consequences of a catastrophic downstream flooding event by remediating the significant seismic, hydrologic, and seepage deficiencies at the Isabella Main and Auxiliary Dams and spillway for safe and effective functioning at authorized capacity, while reducing the risk to the downstream public to tolerable levels. The Corps, as Lead Agency unde rthe National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), prepared an EIS and five SEAs for the Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project and ciruclated themf or public comment. Based on the EIS, The SEAs, and the comments received, James C. Daulton, P.E., Dam Safety Officer, approved a Recrod of Decision for the proposed project on 15 December 2012, and issued a Finding of No Significant Imact (FONSI) for each fo the five SEAs. THe FONSIs were issued on 14 August 2014, 4 June 2015, 8 February 2016, 22 April 2016, and 6 October 2016. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15520 and following, the Central Valley Water Board, as Lead Agency under CEQA, determined that the EIS and SEAs prepared by the Corps meet the requirements of CEQA. Accordingly, the Central Valley Water Board is using the EIS and SEAs prepared by the Corps meet the requirements of CEQA. Accordingly, the Central Valley Water Board is using the EIs and SEAs instead of preparing a separate CEQA document. Public notice of the use of the EIs and SEAs to fulfill requirements of CEQA was circulated on 24 October 2016, pursuant to section 15225 of the CEQA Guidelines.

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